I was driving through the town of Showlow this week, I was struck by a sign that I saw outside of a diner. The sign said, “you got to love bacon or you’re wrong.“ At first glance, I kind of smiled. Because right, who doesn’t love bacon? But then I thought about it a little longer, and I got annoyed. This sign reflects the times we live in. The culture of our world has become such, that if you don’t agree with somebody else, you’re wrong. It isn’t as if we have something to offer each other in our differences. We’re just wrong. Now for somebody that likes to be right, of course, I want my way pretty much all the time. I hate to be told that I’m wrong. Is life all about getting it right or I’m wrong? And who decides that? I don’t think I’m unique in that I like to be right. But I certainly don’t want to be told that I’m wrong. I don’t want to be defined by the world. I believe that I was designed and every one was designed for unique and special purposes that are often contrary to the world’s definition.
So I spent the next couple hours in the car driving home from Showlow, coming through some of the most beautiful parts of northern Arizona. As I was getting closer to town, I was listening to my favorite Texas hillbilly country singer, Jerry Jeff Walker. Jerry Jeff has a song that he covered several years ago called The Cape. The first time I heard that song it struck a deep chord in me. My family knows how I’m always so mushy about these kinds of things. In the song the story goes like a little boy, his mom ties a cape around his neck and he climbs up on the roof of the garage and he thinks he can fly. I can’t tell you how many times as a child, my mom tied bath towels around my neck with my brothers and we believed we could fly. We believed we were Superman or Space Ghost and our capes gave us those incredible powers. Jerry Jeff sings “that life is just a leap of faith, you got to spread your arms, hold your breath, and always trust your cape!”
The story goes on to talk about as a young man he has his cape tied around his dreams and he isn’t going to be bound by the world’s definition of right and wrong. He chooses the path of his heart and he chooses his path by trusting his cape. The last verse talks about as an older man people thought he was crazy because he had lived a life of following his heart and trusting his cape. He had lived his life on his terms- always on faith and believing he could fly so to speak. I guess the song reflects the life I’ve wanted to live in a really simple way. Life can get so over complicated. The world wants to define me all the time and tell me what I should do and how I should’ve done things differently. The world wants to tell me I’ m wrong and I could have done things “things” better. It feels like I’m always being evaluated. I’m being told I’m wrong.
I think the world has a third option if we choose. Find your center, find your purpose, listen to your heart, and trust your cape. The world’s definition of right and wrong doesn’t reach me there. I think my purpose was God-given and that purpose is not defined by the values of the world. During this incredible time of quarantine and social distancing, I’ve had so much time to reflect on the no-win situation the world puts us in. I’ve chosen to invest in new and creative ways to continue to grow the Options business and I have spent a lot of time laying the groundwork and foundation for a new business I’m excited about. I’ll share more about that in the coming months. But I know I’m at my best when I’m finding that creative place rather than looking to conform. My encouragement is that for all of us To resist the pressure, relax, and “know that life is just a leap of faith. We have to spread our arms, hold our breath, and always trust our cape.”
Take a listen to the Reverend Jerry Jeff- he always makes me feel better and keeps it simple.
Scott M. Fischer BSN, CPRS, CDP